Isabel Fleitas Arguelles

Cuban-American actress, model, and television host

Daughter of Dinorah Arguelles, Cuban lyric singer, leading figure of the National Lyric Theater of Cuba and the Cabaret Tropicana

Fleitas was a child who suffered from being overweight. She spent her childhood accompanying her mother to her artistic performances at the Gran Teatro de La Habana, where she made her debut at age four in the zarzuela "La leyenda del beso".

At age 14, of her own conviction, she decided to lose weight. An Italian businessman fell in love with Sissi's face and proposed to her family to take her to Italy to model and make several magazine covers. The family did not accept.

Her first advertising campaign was for the Cuban beer Bucanero. In Cuba she completed her pre-university studies, studied Afro-Cuban dance, English and French. She always liked mathematics and acting.

She began her television career at Cubavisión at age 15, after winning a beauty contest for the program "Sábado conmigo" hosted by Cuban presenter Carlos Otero. She remained as co-host of this program for two years, achieving great success in her native country. She became the most well-known face on the island. She lived in Cuba until age 18.

She emigrated to Mexico, a country where she stayed for three years, during which time she brought her mother and grandmother to the Aztec country. Together they arrived in the United States in 1997.

In 1998 she sent her photographic material to the executive producer of the program Sábado Gigante. That same year she was hired by the Univision network for this program, becoming its star model, becoming known in the 43 countries where it is broadcast, sharing credit with the popular Chilean host Mario Kreutzberger, better known as Don Francisco.

Sissi is the model with the longest tenure on the program after Lili Estefan... "it was a great experience, any host or actress would be thrilled to have gone through a University like Sábado Gigante" Sissi Fleitas left the program in 2005.

In 2000 she was chosen as one of "The 25 Beauties" of People en Español Magazine. She has also hosted for Univision the Festival de Viña del Mar, Festival de Acapulco in 2004 produced by TELEVISA, Esperando el Milenio, Noche de Estrellas, El gordo y la Flaca, Despierta América among others.

In 2005 she was the official host along with Jaime Camil of the Fox Sports Awards. In 2006 she hosted the international version of Desafío (reality): "La Gran Aventura", the version for the United States, produced by Caracol TV. In 2007 she joined Spanish Television TVE with "El Gong Show", an entertainment program, broadcast in prime time by TVE, alongside Paz Padilla, Manolo Sarria, Dani Mateo and Sonia Dorado.

From 2008 to 2012, she wrote "Secretos de SISSI", a weekly beauty and motivation column. In 2009 she brought Secretos de SISSI to the program "Tu desayuno Alegre" on Univision. In 2009 she joined as an actress in the Telemundo telenovela "Mas sabe el diablo", alongside Jean Carlos Canela. In 2010 Sissi took over Alexis Valdés' position on the program "Esta noche tu night" achieving high audience records.

Throughout her professional career she has participated as official host of the Telethon in various countries such as Panama, Honduras, Chile, El Salvador, Ecuador and Costa Rica.

Sissi Fleitas has been the image of advertising campaigns for Miller Light, Kraft Foods, La Bella among others. She has also been one of the Latinas who has sold the most calendars.

Various international magazines have selected her for their cover, including: Maxim, H para caballeros, People en Español, TV y Novelas, Glamour, Venue and Shape.

In 2013 Fleitas is one of the "Summer Stars" of TV y Novelas USA magazine.

In 2011 she made her film debut in Mexico playing LUCIA in the feature film "El baile de san juan", directed by Francisco Athié. In 2011 she participated as host of the Mexican program TV de Noche, Televisa alongside Jorge Muñiz El Coque.

In 2011 she made her theater debut in Mexico in the play "Divorciémonos mi amor" alongside actor Sebastian Rulli.

In 2012 she starred in theater "El Club de las Anas", and La Rosa de Guadalupe, Televisa. In 2013, she left her handprints at Galerías las Estrellas in Mexico. She hosts the "Carnaval de Merida 2013", Hoy Televisa, Despierta America, Univision, Fleitas joins the cast of Aventurera providing the musical opening to the show. She shares credit with Carmen Salinas, Ernesto Gomez Cruz.

In 2013 Sissi Fleitas is hired to play "Penélope" in Los secretos de Lucía (in English: Lucia's secrets), a Venezuelan telenovela produced and broadcast by the Venevisión network in alliance with BE-TV and Univision.

Little is known about her private life. In 1999 she was romantically linked to Mexican Adolfo Angel, known for his role in Los Temerarios. In 2000 it was rumored that she was romantically involved with Miami's mayor Joe Carollo, after attending together the dinner offered by the Kings of Spain in Miami. She currently resides between Miami and Mexico City.